


Sauce Has To Simmer

by CoffeeAndConjunctions



Series: A Relationship As Told By Meals [5]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, The Avengers are Dorks and nothing you can say will change my mind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-23
Updated: 2016-05-23
Packaged: 2018-06-10 06:12:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6943048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoffeeAndConjunctions/pseuds/CoffeeAndConjunctions
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They don't go out like she might with Hill or even Natasha and Clint who are good at blending in because he is Captain Fucking America and everyone knows his face, instead he catches her coming out of her office and corners (and she says corners because she's been avoiding him, she recognizes that look) her in the elevator with a latte and a too bright smile.</p><p>“So you and Bucky--"</p><p>“Oh God, Steve. No, I am not about to get the shovel talk from Captain America.”</p><p>“Shovel talk?”</p><p>“You know, the what are your intensions toward my 'place name of loved one here' talk?”</p><p>“Oh, I see.”</p><p>A moment of silence passes.</p><p>“But what are—”</p><p>“Damn it Steve."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sauce Has To Simmer

 v. Sauce Has To Simmer

By week two most of her bruising is gone, she's ready to go back to work because the thought of how much paper work was piling up was gonna start keeping her up at night soon (along with the fab new nightmares of her time with Grandpa H.Y.D.R.A, she never did find out that fuckers name) and Pepper signs off on her returning to work part time—she doesn't argue and understand why after her first day back, she's exhausted but that night she's too tired to dream.

The Minions welcome her back with subdued but genuine smiles and make a point of having her swear never to leave them in the hands of Fergus McTosh again (her direct underling) because he only ever brought munchkins, never sprung for the actual donuts and made decaf coffee for the night shift— _decaf_.

It's good to know she's been missed.

In her office with it's glass walls, which could be made opaque with a request to J.A.R.V.I.S she finds a mountain of get well soon cards (and chocolates too, God did not one have mercy on her hips) which have her smiling through most of the morning that is spent catching up with The Schedule (yes, it's Capitalized because it is basically the back bone of R&D). Around lunch time she gets an IM from Karen her secretary slash gate keeper that she has a a visitor.

_Lewis, D : Who? Is there an appointment I missed? _

_Parker, K : Of course not, who do you think runs your schedule? Says his name is James._

_Lewis, D : On my way._

The click of her kitten heels mix with the muted chatter of the labs below—she'd wondered why the labs weren't sound proof until the first emergency and then she understood why—as she comes around the corner to her floor's lobby. He's wearing blue today, a jewel toned button down that she thinks must belong to Steve or been forced on him by Steve since Barnes was more of a comfort dresser but damn if that color isn't working for him.

“What brings you to R&D today, Mr. Barnes?” her tone is light and teasing.

“It's lunch time. Bruce is cooking.”

Hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans he somehow manages to look up at her through those dark lashes of his, a real feat considering he's about a foot taller then she is. Clearly he's uncomfortable in this new setting from the corner of her eyes she sees the way Karen perks up at the interaction even though she's trying really hard to look busy and blend in—there will be gossiping later. Hell, she could do worse then having a rumor or two about handsome men coming to escort her to lunch.

“Nice, I'll meet you there in a few minutes—I just need to finish out some work.”

Ducking his head in his customary goodbye to herself and Karen he strides out of the office without another word. Waiting a beat she turns to back to Karen and holds up a finger before the dam breaks and the questions start flooding in.

“Whatever scenario you've telemundo'd in your head, get rid of it Kare—he's a friend.”

“Of course, _Ma'am._ ” she elongates the word with a mock Brooklyn accent and Darcy just shakes her head and leaves, there will be no winning that one.

Look, she can admit it Barnes was a handsome man (she'd be blind not to sees those jeans clinging to thick, well muscled thighs) and after he'd carried her from that room, well it would have taken a stronger woman then her not to have a little bit of a hero worship. But that was it, he was a very troubled man—with issues, lots of issues—and the last thing he needed was her mooning over him.

So she tried not to read to much into anything.

Bruce had made lunch, Bucky was being nice.

Period.

End of sentence.

A cigar was just a goddamned cigar.

* * *

 

Week four sees the return of her morning runs with Hill, her lessons with Nat will have to wait until the cast is off and she's cleared by a Doctor after completing PT (which she is not looking forward too) Spring has arrived in full force and she's glad the cast will be off soon (she's worried about tan lines and is happy she can worry about petty shit still).

She had not appreciated the lesson Hill had been trying to teach but she understood now, so every day they push a little farther—go a little faster to the point where they now have to double back on Saturdays when they can stop by Ruth's. Hill for her part doesn't say I told you so, just shows up in the early morning ready for a run with the latest break room gossip for when they sit down for coffee (she was never in the Break Room itself but somehow all information _always_ got to Maria, all of it.)

They get looks from people, she rightly looks like someone kicked the crap out her but Hill is efficient in sending out a withering glare to the more obvious ones.

* * *

 

It takes six week (forty-two days of cellophane wrapping before showers, which sucked) for her cast to come off, by then it has become a hodgepodge of drawings and signatures and she keeps it as a souvenir. Rogers had drawn this rad little caricature of them all playing frisbee with his shield, it was adorable, had taken him the better part of an afternoon (telling stories about the scrapes her new shadow had gotten him in and out of) but she'd never seen him so comfortable in his own skin as when he was sketching.

Bucky had stationed himself by her knee, dark head pillowed by her thigh and only added the occasional commentary as if the story was drawing out the memory. He normally wasn't willing to have prolonged touch (a brush of hand when she walked down the hall with Clint, help with her jacket when it got stuck because of her cast in the common room) with her when there was an audience but Steve was a calming presence for him so she found herself the meat of a Super Soldier sandwich on the couch that afternoon.

It's not huge leap as to why Steve asks to speak with her a few days later.

They don't go out like she might with Hill or even Natasha and Clint who are good at blending in because he is Captain Fucking America and everyone knows his face, instead he catches her coming out of her office and corners (and she says corners because she's been avoiding him, she recognizes that look) her in the elevator with a latte and a too bright smile.

“So you and Bucky—“

“Oh God, Steve. No, I am not about to get the _shovel talk_ from Captain America.”

“Shovel talk?”

“You know, the what are your intensions toward my 'place name of loved one here' talk?”

“Oh, I see.”

A moment of silence passes.

“But what are—”

“Damn it Steve. Look, Barnes and I are friends. Like you and Nat, or even like you and Maria. Ohhhhh, well now that's interesting.”

“What is?” He is looking straight ahead now.

“Oh not much, just the way you almost crawled out your skin when I said Hill's name.”

“You are trying to deflect.”

“Yeah, kinda wasn't being subtle about it.”

“Just hear me out for a second, alright?”

He look so earnest and well meaning, she can't tell if it's an act but if it is give the man an Oscar. Nodding she waits with her arms crossed ready to defend herself and the newly cultivated friendship she and Barnes are creating.

“I think you are good for him—he's more in touch with the present with you and clearly you care for him—I just want to make sure you are ready for the fall out.”

“Fall out?”

Blonde hair is sticking up a little from where he is running his hands.

“He wants to go after H.Y.D.R.A.”

“Isn't that what you are all doing?”

“Not like him, it's consuming him—it's—he thinks it's all he has left.”

“And you don't know what will happen once the mission is completed.”

“No, I don't.”

* * *

J.A.R.V.I.S is playing one of her classical music playlists (It could Bruce Needs A Time Out or Natasha Was Here, she's honestly not sure) Bruce is working on the cork of a bottle beside her as she cuts up the garlic bread fresh out of the oven. Tomato sauce full of meat balls is simmering on two cook tops because they make behemoth portions of food for Team dinners. The pasta is already done cooking and she's just working on getting everything onto plates for the other to bring to the table.

There is a formal dinning room on this floor but after seeing how most of the team had to stand as they had meals around the too small table located in the actual kitchen Tony had moved a larger one in—the open floor plan made it so it wasn't cramped so much as cozy. Shostakovich Second Waltz begins playing, an upbeat tune that she knows very well, Thor lets out an enthusiastic sound before rising and leading his Lady love to an open corner of the room and starting the steps of a dance she's never seen before (neither has Jane from the looks of it).

A flash of copper hair is all the warning she or Banner get when Natasha is dragging him away from the bottle toward Jane who looks as reluctant as Bruce to be standing in an open corner of the room. Tony never to be out done or out shined downs the rest of his wine and leads Pepper to the impromptu dance floor. They all fall into a strange counter rhythm as they dance (or attempt to in Jane's case) around each other. Natasha is beautiful in her movements and Tony and Pepper have clearly done this before.

Glancing at Steve she inclines her head at Hill who is hiding a smile behind her wine glass at the antics before her. Standing Rogers holds out his hand like he's at some old timey dance hall and with a rueful look Hill accepts (she make a good Yenta and between her and Natasha they might beat some game into Rogers yet). Swaying to the beat of the waltz she bring a basket of garlic bread to the table. The music swells and she gives into the urge to twirl, at the end of her spin a hand cups the small of her back and she finds herself stepping into the rhythm of the one, two three with Bucky leading her. Trying not to make a fool of herself she keeps her eyes on her feet until a finger under her chin brings her gaze up in a silent command to keep her head up. So she allows him to lead, following as best she can--he's a good partner, sure in his steps and occasionally he'd spin her out so that she'd find herself tucked against his side before the steps began anew.

Clint has joined the fray with his bow and is making a fool of himself (idiot.)

When the music ends there is laughter in the room and Bucky's hand at her waist, the cool metal of his hand in hers contrasting with the heat of his body she can feel even at the distance a waltz frame requires. He bring her hand up to his lips and lays a kiss there, eyes lingering on her own, when he rights himself back to full heigh she's not ready for his smile.

It could be because it's the first time she's seen him smile, or because there's a hint of cheeky mischief to it that makes her belief all the lady killer rumors that the history books have always associated with Barnes (so she picked up a book or two, no big deal—she'd read about Cap too) taking a seat, which he'd pulled out for her, she grabs a wine glass and downs the contents before he's settled in beside her.

(Oh God, she was in trouble.)

 

**Author's Note:**

> Darcy place herself in the Friendzone. Bruce cooks and Clint is an Idiot. Thank you as always for feedback and your reactions, I love them to bits.


End file.
